Treatment of ruminants

ABSTRACT

In a feedlot operation wherein ruminant animals, such as cattle or sheep, are fed ad libitum a high-energy ration or feed, lactic acidosis is greatly reduced or eliminated and weight gain and feed conversion are increased by administering to the animal the microorganism Peptococcus asaccharolyticus upon introduction of the animal to the feedlot. The microorganism is conveniently administered to the animal, either by direct injection or introduction into the rumen via a needle or stomach tube or in admixture with the feed or ration. The microorganism is also useful in the treatment of cattle (calves) and sheep ill with lactic acidosis.

This is a division, of application Ser. No. 610,337 filed Sept. 4, 1975,now U.S. Pat. No. 4,112,069.

This invention relates to the fattening of ruminant animals, such as ina feedlot, wherein the ruminant animal is permitted access ad libitum toa high-energy ration or feed.

One embodiment of this invention is directed to the treatment ofruminant animals before or upon introduction of the animal to a feedlotfor fattening.

Another embodiment of this invention is directed to the treatment ofruminant animals, such as cattle or sheep, ill with lactic acidosis.

Still another embodiment of this invention is directed to a high-energyration or feed which can be usefully employed in a feedlot operation forthe fattening of ruminant animals.

Various techniques and feed ration compositions are known and have beenemployed or suggested in connection with the operation of a feedlot forthe fattening of ruminant animals, such as cattle or sheep, see U.S.Pat. Nos. 2,700,611, 2,738,273, 3,857,971, 1,758,937, 3,072,528,3,243,299, 3,415,225 and 3,875,306. The disclosures of these patents areherein incorporated and made part of this disclosure.

In a feedlot operation wherein a ruminant animal, such as cattle orsheep, is fattened, it has been necessary for the animal to adapt itselfto the high-energy ration or feed supplied ad libitum to the animal uponintroduction to the feedlot. The period of adaptation usually is aboutthree to four weeks. During this period of adaptation, animal weightgain and feed conversion are far below maximum obtainable and theincidence of lactic acidosis in the animal is substantial.

It is an object of this invention to provide a method whereby a ruminantanimal, such as cattle or sheep, upon introduction to the feedlot forfattening by feeding ad libitum on a high-energy ration or diet issubstantially immediately adapted to the new high-energy diet or rationwith the substantial elimination of lactic acidosis.

It is another object of this invention to provide the treatment of aruminant animal just prior to introduction of the animal to a feedlotfor fattening by means of a high-energy ration or diet whereby animalweight gain and feed conversion are greatly improved.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a method fortreating ruminant animals, such as cattle or sheep, ill with lacticacidosis.

How these and other objects of this invention are attainable will becomeapparent in the light of the accompanying disclosure. In at least oneembodiment of the practice of this invention, at least one of theforegoing objects will be achieved.

It has been discovered that a ruminant animal, such as cattle and sheep,can be substantially immediately adapted to a high-energy ration orfeed, such as is supplied ad libitum to cattle or sheep in a feedlotoperation, by introducing into or establishing in the rumen of theanimal a lactic acid-utilizing microorganism. More specifically, it hasbeen discovered that if the microorganism Peptococcus asaccharolyticusis introduced into the rumen of a ruminant animal, such as cattle orsheep, prior to or substantially simultaneously with the introduction ofthe ruminant animal into a feedlot for fattening purposes, the ruminantanimal thus treated will be substantially immediately adapted to thehigh-energy ration or diet employed for fattening, with substantialreduction or elimination of lactic acidosis which usually occurs when aruminant animal is abruptly supplied with and maintained on ahigh-energy ration or feed, such as when the animal goes from asubstantially hay diet or range foraging to a feedlot for fattening.

Various techniques may be employed for the introduction of themicroorganism Peptococcus asaccharolyticus into the rumen of the animal.One technique involves the direct injection of the microorganism via aneedle into the rumen. Another technique involves the introduction ofthe microorganism via a stomach tube into the rumen. Another techniqueuseful for the introduction of the microorganism Peptococcusasaccharolyticus involves lyophilizing a culture of the microorganismand then reconstituting or regenerating the microorganism and supplyingor introducing the resulting regenerated or reconstituted microorganisminto the rumen of the animal. Another related technique useful in thepractice of this invention involves encapsulating the lyophilizedmicroorganism within a suitable physiologically acceptable carrier, suchas a gelatin capsule and the like, and introducing the thusencapsulated, lyophilized microorganism into the rumen of the animal. Inthis technique, it would be preferred that the rumen or fluid contentsof the rumen be brought to a substantially neutral pH, a pH of about7.0, before the thus encapsulated, lyophilized microorganism isintroduced thereinto. Still another technique for the introduction ofthe microorganism into the rumen for establishing a colony or culture ofthe microorganism therein involves encapsulating a culture of themicroorganism in a suitable physiologically acceptable carrier andintroducing the thus encapsulated culture directly into the rumen. Inthe practices of this invention when a culture of the microorganismPeptococcus asaccharolyticus is employed for introduction into therumen, it is preferred that the culture be in the logarithmic growthphase.

Yet another technique for the introduction of the microorganism into therumen involves incorporating the microorganism in culture form or inlyophilized form, encapsulated or non-encapsulated, with the feed orration to be supplied to the animal whereby the microorganism is takenup by the animal along with the feed, thereby entering the rumen wherethe microorganism will become established.

The microorganism employed in the practices of this invention is, asmentioned hereinabove, the microorganism Peptococcus asaccharolyticus.This microorganism is a lactic acid-consumer, and because of thischaracteristic, when this microorganism is established in the rumen,lactic acidosis in the animal is substantially eliminated.

In accordance with a special embodiment of the practices of thisinvention, the administration of the microorganism Peptococcusasaccharolyticus provides a straightforward, simple and effective methodof treatment of animals, such as calves and lambs, suffering from lacticacidosis. When the administration of the microorganism Peptococcusasaccharolyticus is employed for therapeutic purposes in the treatmentof ruminant animals suffering from lactic acidosis, it is desirable,before the microorganism is administered, to adjust, such as by chemicalmeans, the pH of the rumen or the fluid contents thereof to asubstantially neutral pH.

Various amounts of the microorganism, either as a culture thereof, or anencapsulated culture, or a reconstituted or regenerated lyophilizedculture, or an encapsulated lyophilized culture, might be employeddepending upon the animal, the animal size, the physical condition ofthe animal, the quality of the microorganism being introduced into therumen, the method of introduction of the microorganism into the rumenand the like. In the practice of this invention, in order to beeffective it is only necessary that the microorganism Peptococcusasaccharolyticus be established (and maintained) in the rumen of theanimal.

The advantages of the practices of this invention are substantial.Presently, in a feedlot operation, the ruminant animal, e.g. cattle orsheep, is adapted slowly over a period of approximately three weeks.During this period when special high-energy rations are supplied to theanimal, the weight gain and feed conversion are far below maximum andthe incidences of lactic acidosis may be high. By following thepractices of this invention, since the period of adaptation of aboutthree weeks can be substantially eliminated, the feeding period in thefeedlot to complete the fattening of the animal is reduced by anequivalent period of time. In view of the cost of feed grains, athree-week reduction in the feeding period of a feedlot operationrepresents a substantial savings for the feedlot operator and also, asmight be apparent, eases the competition between man and animal forcereal grains. As an additional advantage, the shorter feeding periodwould also reduce the waste disposal problem associated with feedlotoperations.

In a feedlot operation, as indicated hereinabove for the fattening of aruminant animal, such as cattle or sheep, a high-energy ration or feedis employed. In some instances, upon introduction of the animal to thefeedlot, a starter feed (less high-energy ration) is employed for abouttwo weeks, followed by a transition feed (somewhat higher-energy ration)for about one week and then, upon adaptation, the animal is suppliedwith a finishing ration (high-energy feed) for a suitable period oftime. Set forth in accompanying Table I are the compositions of rationswhich might be used in a feedlot operation, including a starter ration(relatively low energy) and a transition ration (relatively higherenergy) for adapting the animal to the finishing high-energy ration.

                  TABLE I                                                         ______________________________________                                        Sample Compositions of Rations Used in Feedlot Operations                                Composition (%)                                                    Ingredients  Starter (14)*                                                                            Transition (7)*                                                                           Finishing                                 ______________________________________                                        Ground Shelled Corn                                                                        23.4       53.4        68.4                                      Soybean Meal 15.0       15.0        15.0                                      Cottonseed Hulls                                                                           60.0       30.0        15.0                                      Ground Limestone                                                                           1.0        1.0         1.0                                       Trace Mineral Salt                                                                         0.6        0.6         0.6                                        Total %     100.0      100.0       100.0                                     ______________________________________                                        Concentrate-Roughage                                                                       40-60      70-30       85-15                                     Calculated-Protein                                                                         8.7        11.3        12.6                                       TDN         56.8       67.7        73.1                                      ______________________________________                                         *=days on ration                                                         

In a feedlot operation in accordance with this invention, uponadministration of the microorganism Peptococcus asaccharolyticus to therumen of the animal and/or establishment of this microorganism in therumen thereof and upon introduction of the animal into the feedlot, theanimal can be fed directly with the finishing high-energy ration whichmay have a composition as set forth in accompanying Table II.

                  TABLE II                                                        ______________________________________                                        Composition of High-Energy Ration                                             Ingredients           % by Weight                                             ______________________________________                                        Ground Shelled Corn   55-80                                                   Soybean Meal          10-20                                                   Cottonseed Hulls or Peanut Hulls                                                                     7-25                                                   Ground Limestone      about 1.0                                               Trace Mineral Salt    about 0.6                                               Concentrate-Roughage  (75-90)-(25-10)                                         Calculated-Protein    12-15                                                    TDN                  about 68-78                                             ______________________________________                                    

The following example is illustrative of the advantages obtainable inthe practices of this invention:

EXAMPLE NO. 1

Six heifers were administered 1 liter of a medium suitable for theculture of Peptococcus asaccharolyticus and six heifers wereadministered 1 liter of a culture of Peptococcus asaccharolyticus in thesame medium. The medium and culture were administered via stomach tubeand both groups of heifers were immediately fed a high-energy rationcontaining about 79% ground, shelled corn and 15% by weight soybean mealad libitum. Feed intake was determined daily and the heifers wereweighed two consecutive days prior to inoculation with the medium orculture and at 7 and 14 days and days 21 and 22. The reported on-testand off-test weights are average weights of consecutive weighing days.The results of these tests are set forth in accompanying Table III.

                  TABLE III                                                       ______________________________________                                        Performance Data of Inoculated Heifers                                                     Inoculated                                                                              Inoculated with                                                     with      Peptococcus asaccharolyticus                           Observed Results                                                                           Medium    Culture                                                ______________________________________                                        On-test Weight                                                                             488.8     499.3                                                  Off-test Weight                                                                            521.2     541.5                                                  Averge Daily Gain                                                                          1.54      2.01                                                   Feed/lb. Gain                                                                              8.64      6.78                                                   ______________________________________                                    

Observed weekly average daily gains are set forth in accompanying TableIV.

                  TABLE IV                                                        ______________________________________                                        Inoculum       0-7       8-14      15-21                                      ______________________________________                                        Medium         -.88      2.76      2.73                                       Peptococcus                                                                   asaccharolyticus Culture                                                                     -1.61     3.24      4.40                                       ______________________________________                                    

Average daily gain and feed per pound of gain were superior in theheifers inoculated with the Peptococcus asaccharolyticus culture. TableIV shows that during the first seven days all heifers lost weight. Thisearly weight loss is usually observed in cattle being adapted to ahigh-energy ration by conventional procedures. However, the weight gainduring the second week for the heifers inoculated with the Peptococcusasaccharolyticus culture is higher than for conventional adaptation.

Additional tests demonstrative of the advantages of the practices ofthis invention are set forth in accompanying Example No. 2.

EXAMPLE NO. 2

In the tests reported in this example, the objectives were: (1) tocompare the performance of cattle receiving an inoculum of themicroorganism Peptococcus asaccharolyticus to cattle receiving noinoculum; (2) to compare the performance of cattle receiving an inoculumof Peptococcus asaccharolyticus to cattle receiving an inoculum of rumenfluid from an adapted animal; and (3) to evaluate the effect of aninoculum of Peptococcus asaccharolyticus on conventional adaptationduring both the adaptation period and the post-adaptation periods.

Procedure:

Thirty-five heifers were maintained on Bermudagrass hay for 25 daysprior to the test. The hay was fed once a day in the morning. On-testweights were the average of weights taken two consecutive days prior tothe morning feeding. After weighing on the second day, the animals wererandomly allotted into 5 groups of seven animals each and started on thetest. Test groups were as follows:

Lot 1--Non-inoculated and adapted. The feeding schedule was as follows:

    ______________________________________                                                   Feed per Head per Day (lbs.)                                                  Concentrate Hay                                                    ______________________________________                                        Day 1         8            5                                                  2             9            4                                                  3            10            3                                                  4            11            2                                                  5            12            1                                                  6            ad. lib.                                                         ↓     "                                                                21           "                                                                ______________________________________                                    

The concentrate was divided into two equal feedings (AM-PM) and the haywas fed once a day (AM).

Lot 2--Inoculated with 1 liter of Peptococcus asaccharolyticus cultureand immediately full-fed the concentrate ration. These heifers werefull-fed throughout the 21-day test period. Full-fed means that theamount fed each day was more than would be consumed.

Lot 3--Non-inoculated and full fed.

Lot 4--Inoculated with 1 liter of strained (cheese-cloth) rumen fluidobtained from a rumen cannulated steer full-fed the concentrate rationfor three weeks. The animals were full-fed immediately after inoculationand for the remainder of the test period.

Lot 5--Inoculated with 1 liter of Peptococcus asaccharolyticus cultureand adapted in the exact manner as the animals in Lot 1. After thefive-day adaptation period, the animals were full-fed the concentrateration for the remainder of the test period.

The concentrate ration used in this experiment had a composition asfollows:

    ______________________________________                                                           Percent of                                                 Ingredient         Ration                                                     ______________________________________                                        Ground Shelled Corn                                                                              68.4                                                       Soybean Meal       15.0                                                       Cottonseed Hulls   15.0                                                       Ground Limestone    1.0                                                       Trace Mineral Salt  0.6                                                       Vitamin A 1500 IU/lb.                                                         ______________________________________                                    

At the time of administration (via stomach tube), the average percenttransmittance of the culture was 21 percent (high 27%-low 15%). Thecultures were prepared by inoculating 1 liter of media with 7 ml. of a24-hour culture. The cultures administered to the animals wereapproximately 13 hours old.

The animals were weighed in the morning on days 7, 14, 21 and 22 of thetest period. The off-test weights are averages of weights obtained ondays 21 and 22.

Results:

Performance data are presented in Table V.

                                      TABLE V                                     __________________________________________________________________________    Performance Data for 21-Day Test Period                                       LOT    1   2        3     4     5                                                        Peptococcus          Peptococcus                                              asaccharolyticus                                                                             Rumen asaccharolyticus                                         Inoculum       Fluid Inoculum                                      Treatment                                                                            Adapt                                                                             Full-Fed Full-Fed                                                                            Full-Fed                                                                            Adapt                                         __________________________________________________________________________    On-test                                                                       wt. (lbs.)                                                                           526 526      522   521   522                                           Off-test                                                                      wt. (lbs.)                                                                           569 584      567   580   571                                           Average                                                                       Daily                                                                         Gains                                                                         (lbs.) 2.05                                                                              2.77     2.18  2.79  2.32                                          Feed/lb. of                                                                   Gain (lbs.)                                                                          8.03                                                                              5.84     6.75  6.14  7.32                                          __________________________________________________________________________

For the 21-day test period, the animals receiving the Peptococcusasaccharolyticus inoculum (LOT 2) had average daily gains and feedefficiency of approximately 22 percent and 14 percent greater than thefull-fed non-inoculated cattle (LOT 3).

In the cattle receiving a Peptococcus asaccharolyticus inoculum andadapted (LOT 5), the average daily gain and feed efficiency wereapproximately 11 percent and 9 percent greater than the uninoculatedadapted cattle (LOT 1).

Table VI shows the mean daily gains by weight periods.

                  TABLE VI                                                        ______________________________________                                        Mean Daily Gains (lbs.) for Each Weigh Period                                           Days in Each Period                                                 Treatment   0-7        8-14       15-21                                       ______________________________________                                        Adapt       -2.88      7.18       1.86                                        Peptococcus                                                                   asaccharolyticus                                                              Full-Fed    0.00       5.71       2.59                                        Full-Fed    -0.41      4.29       2.65                                        Rumen Fluid                                                                   Full-Fed    1.12       4.24       3.00                                        Peptococcus                                                                   asaccharolyticus                                                              Adapt       -0.51      4.82       2.65                                        ______________________________________                                    

It would appear that regardless of the feeding method (full-feed oradapt), weight losses occur during the first week or so that the animalsare on feed. It is also significant that inoculation either prevented orgreatly reduced this early weight loss. By comparing weight gains ofperiod 0-7 days with period 15-21 days, it would appear from this testthat the beneficial effect of inoculation observed for the total 21-daytest period was realized in the first week or so on feed.

Further experiments were carried out demonstrative of the practices ofthis invention, particularly for the evaluation of the microorganismPeptococcus asaccharolyticus on the performance of steers in a feedlotoperation. These experiments are set forth in accompanying Example No.3.

EXAMPLE NO. 3

Procedure:

Forty-eight head of steers averaging 540 pounds in weight were used inthis test. Twenty-four steers were inoculated with a liter ofPeptococcus asaccharolyticus culture and divided into four lots of sixsteers each. The 24 control steers were also divided into four lots ofsix each. Immediately after inoculation, all steers (both treated andcontrols) were fed the following ration ad libitum.

    ______________________________________                                        Ingredient         Percent                                                    ______________________________________                                        Ground Shelled Corn                                                                              75                                                         Supplement (50)%    5                                                         Peanut Hulls       20                                                         Trace Mineral      free choice                                                ______________________________________                                    

Weight gains and feed efficiency were determined. weekly for threeweeks. The data for the three weeks are summarized in Table VII.

                  TABLE VII                                                       ______________________________________                                        Performance on Steers Over Three Weeks                                                       Inoculated                                                                              Control                                              ______________________________________                                        No. of Steers    24          24                                               No. of Replicates                                                                              4           4                                                Beginning Wt. (lbs.)                                                                           543         541                                              Final Wt. (lbs.) 603         593                                              Average Daily Gain (lbs.)                                                                      2.86        2.50                                             Total Feed (lbs.)                                                                              2231        2267                                             Feed/lb. Gain (lbs.)                                                                           6.18        7.19                                             Average Feed/Day (lbs.)                                                                        17.7        18.00                                            ______________________________________                                    

Inoculation improved average daily gain by 13 percent and feedefficiency (feed per lb. of gain) by 14 percent. The effect ofinoculation upon performance is fairly consistent with the observationsof previous experiments.

A summary of all experiments reported herein is as follows:

    ______________________________________                                                       Percent Increase Resulting From                                               Inoculation                                                                     Ave.                                                         Experiment       Daily Gain Feed Efficiency                                   ______________________________________                                        Example No. 3    13         14                                                Inoculation vs. None                                                                           21         13                                                Inoculation vs. Media                                                                          27         22                                                Inoculation Adapt vs. Adapt                                                                    12          9                                                ______________________________________                                    

Upon continuing the test it was observed that during the two week periodof 50-64 days on test the control steers showed an average weightincrease of 3.25 pounds per day whereas the inoculated steers showed anaverage weight increase of 3.50 pounds per day. During the following twoweek period, 64-78 days on test, and during a period of hot weather whenthe animals normally do not eat much, the control steers showed anaverage weight increase of 1.8 pounds per day whereas the inoculatedsteers averaged an increase of 2.12 pounds per day. These additionaldata further illustrate the advantages obtainable in the practices ofthis invention, such as in a feed lot operation for the fattening ofcattle.

Although emphasis in the accompanying disclosure in connection with thepractices of this invention has been placed on the treatment of cattleor calves and sheep or lambs, as generally indicated, the practice ofthis invention is applicable to all ruminants. Ruminants which aresuitably treated in accordance with this invention, in addition tocattle and sheep, include goat, camel, llama, buffalo, bison, beefalo,deer, antelope and ox or oxen.

It has been disclosed herein that the practice of this invention isapplicable to the treatment of ruminants, such as calves or lambs,suffering from lactic acidosis. In accordance with another embodiment ofthis invention, the practice of this invention is also useful in thetreatment of ruminants to prevent rumenitis.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of theforegoing disclosure, many modifications, alterations and substitutionsare possible in the practice of this invention without departing fromthe spirit or scope thereof.

I claim:
 1. A method which comprises culturing the microorganismPeptococcus asaccharolyticus, lyophilizing the resulting culture of saidmicroorganism and administering the resulting lyophilized culture to aruminant animal to establish a growth of said microorganism in the rumenof said ruminant animal.
 2. A method in accordance with claim 1 whereinthe lyophilized culture of said microorganism is admixed with water orculture medium before being administered to said ruminant animal.
 3. Amethod in accordance with claim 1 wherein said lyophilized culture isencapsulated in a physiologically acceptable carrier and thenadministered to said ruminant animal.
 4. A method in accordance withclaim 1 wherein said lyophilized culture is encapsulated in aphysiologically acceptable carrier and then administered to saidruminant animal with the feed.
 5. A method which comprises culturing themicroorganism Peptococcus asaccharolyticus and administering theresulting cultured microorganism to a ruminant animal to establish agrowth of said microorganism in the rumen of said ruminant animal.
 6. Amethod in accordance with claim 5 wherein the cultured microorganism isadministered directly into the rumen of said ruminant animal.
 7. Amethod in accordance with claim 5 wherein the cultured microorganism isencapsulated in a physiologically acceptable carrier and thenadministered to said ruminant animal.
 8. A method in accordance withclaim 5 wherein the cultured microorganism is administered with the feedto said ruminant animal.
 9. A high-energy ration or feed suitable foruse in a feedlot operation for the fattening of a ruminant animalconsisting essentially of a high-energy ration or feed for said ruminantanimal and a minor amount of a culture of the microorganism Peptococcusasaccharolyticus.
 10. A high-energy ration or feed in accordance withclaim 9 wherein said high-energy ration or feed contains at least about50-60% by weight ground, shelled corn or other ceral grains and at leastabout 5-10% by weight of substantially cellulosic bulking material. 11.A high-energy ration or feed in accordance with claim 9 wherein saidhigh-energy ration or feed contains 60-80% by weight ground, shelledcorn or other cereal grains, 5-15% by weight soybean meal or otherprotein meals and 5-15% by weight seed hulls or other roughages.
 12. Ahigh-energy ration or feed in accordance with claim 11 wherein said seedhulls are selected from a group consisting of peanut hulls andcottonseed hulls.
 13. A high-energy ration or feed in accordance withclaim 9 wherein said high-energy ration or feed contains a culture ofsaid microorganism Peptococcus asaccharolyticus in the logarithmicgrowth phase.
 14. A high-energy ration or feed in accordance with claim9 wherein said high-energy ration or feed contains the culture of themicroorganism Peptococcus asaccharolyticus encapsulated in aphysiologically acceptable carrier.
 15. A high-energy ration or feed inaccordance with claim 9 wherein said high-energy ration or feed containsthe culture of the microorganism Peptococcus asaccharolyticusencapsulated as a lyophilized culture in a physiologically acceptablecarrier.